Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim, DG. NOTAP.

Commercialization of inventions, research and development (R&Ds) have been given a boost as Patentees in Northern Nigeria met in Bauchi, the Bauchi State Capital. The patentees drawn from northern part of the country brainstorm on plans to move their inventions and innovations to the next level of commercialization.

The forum was organized by the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) an agency under the purview of the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (FMSTI)

Statement signed by Solomon Nshem Head, Public Relations and Protocol, NOTAP said the forum became imperative following numerous efforts made by Nigerian researchers, inventors and innovators which did not translate into products and services.

Speaking at the event, the Director General of NOTAP Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim decried the current situation whereby over 90 percent of the technologies that power the Nigerian economy are imported, noting that “”the tide must be stemmed to save the nations scarce foreign exchange”

Dr. Azumi noted the world has moved away from resource to knowledge based economy and “Nigeria must not be left behind”. He explained further that the forum was organized to provide the needed synergy between researchers and funding institutions to create the necessary impetus that would ensure that Research & Development (R&D) outputs from the nation’s knowledge centres are moved to the market as products and services.

The NOTAP boss disclosed that the agency has through its regulatory role of registration and monitoring of technology transfer agreements saved the nation over 79.63 billion naira between 2015 to 2019 that would have left the nation’s borders as capital flight, stressing that the agency has initiated various programmes and policies such as; the Local Vendor Policy, NOTAP-Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF) and Upgrade of Chemical Laboratories in Institutions of higher learning/research institutes  in a bid to stimulate indigenous skills development in Science, Technology and Innovation(STI).

Dr. Ibrahim noted that there is need for researchers, inventors and innovators to protect their intellectual assets through patenting stressing that NOTAP has over the years assisted them to do that free of charge and as a result  65 percent of recent patents acquired by Nigerian researchers and inventors came through NOTAPs intervention.

The Vice-Chancellor, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, Prof. Mohammed Abdulazeez represented by the Director Research, Innovation and Development ATBU, Prof. Fatima Sawa said Nigeria could not make any meaningful progress without investment in research, science, technology and innovation.

She commended NOTAP for organizing the forum noting that it will help the nation in moving forward technologically pointing out that ,”no one will develop our nation and it therefore behoves on Nigerians to support the patriotic moves by NOTAP to instil the culture of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for our much needed socio-economic development.”

She said a lot has been done in research and development but most of them are lying on the shelves without been deployed for use but said the forum will help solve the issues relating to commercialization of R&D outputs. She commended NOTAP for the establishment of the Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) in ATBU and the input of the DG in the institutions to organize workshop on research funding for Universities in the North East.

The efforts according to her has enhanced the quality and output of research work in the institutions in the region leading to increase in concept paper notes by researchers in ATBU from 6 last year to 32 this year.

The Director General Bauchi Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Sani Tahir Hamid said there are many promising businesses developed by members of the chamber but are greatly challenged by funding.

The immediate past Vice-Chancellor ATBU Prof. Saminu Abdulrahman said Nigeria needed to move from the double helix to the triple helix approach noting that the double helix approach was implemented by ATBU in the past but failed to produce meaningful results. He said the idea of bringing Government, Researchers and Industry together to find ways to develop STI which NOTAP is promoting through the forum was the right way to go.

In a message to the participants, the Executive Secretary National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Prof. Idris Bugaje represented by the Director NBTE North East Zonal Office Bauchi, Hussaini Muhammed revealed that the board recently commissioned an R&D exhibition centre where all the research efforts of technical institutions in the country are on display.

He also suggested that government institutions responsible for coordinating and promoting research and development activities in the country should visit the NBTE R&D centre to identify and nurture research efforts for the economic progress of the country.

In a goodwill message, the Vice-President North, Association of Nigerian Inventors (ANI) Eng. Sadeeq Mohammed commended NOTAP for the tremendous support it was giving to members of the association saying it has given them hope that their efforts towards the technological advancement of the nation was being recognized.

In a presentation on Patent Protection in Nigeria, the Registrar Patent & Designs Registry, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment represented by Barr. Rabi Garba Sari highlighted the various procedures for the registration of patents. She advised all those with inventions and innovations to make sure they secure them by applying and obtaining their patent certificates from the Patent Registry.

According to her, “failure to do so may lead to the theft of their intellectual assets”

Presenting a paper on Intellectual Property Rights Exploitation through Licensing, the Director Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination department NOTAP, Mrs. Carol Anie-Osuagwu defined Intellectual Property (IP) in line with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as “Creations of the mind -everything from works of art to inventions, computer programs to trademarks and other commercial signs.  And is a product of human endeavour; intangible (non-material and non-physical), but valuable and original.

Mrs. Anie-Osuagwu said NOTAP has actively promoted the development of IPR in Nigeria through the establishment of a functional Patent Information and Documentation Centre (PIDC), the acquisition & dissemination of more than one million technological data contained in expired patent documents from WIPO, Geneva, the establishment of 60 Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) across tertiary Education and Research Institutes in Nigeria.

She added that NOTAP had received and evaluated 1079 patent applications from tertiary institutions in Nigeria and also facilitated the grant of 400 National Patents through the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment as at May this year.

Presenting a paper on CBN Instruments for Commercialization of Patents (Protected R&D Results) Manager Development Finance Office Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) office in Bauchi, Mr. Umaru Ishaku said the CBN is a development partner and has numerous facilities and grants available to researchers, inventors and Innovators to actualize their enterprise.

He added that the bank has given out loans to farmers and entrepreneurs through its Development Finance Office domiciled in all CBN offices in Nigeria and urged researchers, inventors and innovators to visit to the office for support.

Representative of the Bank of Industry (BOI) at the forum Umar Abdullahi said BOI’s core mandate is the provision of financial assistance for the establishment of large, medium and small projects, as well as the expansion, diversification and modernization of existing enterprises and rehabilitation of ailing industries.

He revealed that the bank has various funding opportunities one of which is the North East Rehabilitation Fund to help businesses stressing that the fund has provided 186 beneficiaries with loans totalling N575 million which has created about 1100 direct and indirect jobs in the region.

The forum drew top researchers, inventors and innovators from both public and private universities, research institutions and business associations in northern Nigeria.